THE PLIGHT OF AIDS ORPHANS AND STREEET CHILDREN IN KENYA.

United Methodist Church in Kenya is waking up to the reality of HIV/AIDS Orphans. Over the last three years, the church has monitored the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS infections and the numbers have been growing steadily. The number deaths has from HIV/AIDS have increased and this has in turn multiplied the number of orphans children.

The most affected people are the young couples. This leaves the burden for the orphans to grandparents or neighbors who may already have their own families to care for. The chances are highly that orphans may be neglected and end up turning to the streets for survival.

The numbers of people infected with HIV with Nakuru is increasing; this is why Nakuru United Methodist Church rented two-roomed house to an Orphanage to cater for the Orphans. Currently we are housing 15 orphans’ girls’ y. Nakuru United Methodist church has also started a street children project where these needy boys and girls are fed and counseled to lead a better life.
Many of the orphans have no chance for the education. Young boys are used as slaves working for as little as $1 for a whole week. Girls are introduced to sexual survival like prostitution and earlier marriages as young as 10 years. They are unable to raise school fees. Nakuru United Methodist church under my visionary has been struggling to assist these children and advocate for the children’s rights.

The church has started a health clinic where needy children and women are treated with without fee. Last year the church started a women mainly and girls empowerment center where they were being trained in dressmaking, sewing, knitting and hairdressing. Unfortunate this vital project has been suspended since November last year for lack of finances like salary for the trainers and stationeries. The local church is unable to raise funds for sustaining this project. Women and the girls willing to attend this training are very poor and needy. Many women and girls would benefit so much when this program resume soon. Currently the church is supporting several orphans some living with their aged grandmothers and others living at the streets of Nakuru. We are very grateful to the VIM who have visited our project and for their continued prayers. We sincerely appreciate our Bishop’s support and visionary leadership in our conference

The biggest challenge has been the education for these needy and vulnerable children. The greatest gift you and I can give these children is education.

By the grace of God we have bought a piece of land measuring 10 acres to build a school for these children. We have already received government approval and local community pledge to volunteer in labor.

We are inviting VIM Construction/Building teams, mission teams, churches, districts, conferences and individuals to partner with us in this vital project.

Rev Josam Kariuki
Associate District Superintendent
Nakuru District
Kenya
rewardcare@yahoo.com

Dancing, Delivering, and Desire in Malawi

From the Belmont UMC Reporter Newsletter


We worked hard but did not physical labor. We worshipped often but we designed no liturgy. We danced, clapped, played with children and inspected plastering in a new church building. We pumped water from boreholes (deep wells) that Belmont UMC provided in previous years. During the week, we planned/dreamed/schemed of cooperative ventures for the future with leaders of the Malawi United Methodist Church.


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Greensboro (GA) FUMC in Togo West Africa

A group of six from Trinity on the Hill UMC in Augusta and Rev. Scott Parrish of The First United Methodist Church of Greensboro were in Togo ,West Africa, March 3-13, 2006. Dr. Gary Billingsley, pediatrician and team leader; Phil Jones, professional photographer with Medical College of Georgia; Cab Stitt, business owner and entrepreneur; Henry Toole, videographer with 20 years experience with Trinity’s TV ministry; plus the missionary couple Esaho and Beatrice Kipuke; and Scott as a clergy representative composed the adventurous team. The goal of the trip was to visit throughout the country and assess the possibility of establishing the Kipukes as missionaries in Togo.

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The Rains Come to Uganda

KAMPALA, Uganda - The rains have come to central Uganda. This is good.
But it also means the menace of malaria will return as well. This is the experience of Rossette Kemigish, school nurse at the United Methodist-related orphanage and primary school known as Humble Place in Mukono District, about 30 kilometers outside Kampala.

Last year, she treated 279 children for malaria in a school with fewer than 200 students. It's a persistent challenge to stay ahead of the mosquito-borne disease in this humid, wet climate.
She explains that the school administrators are attentive to her suggestions for environmental improvements that minimize the opportunity for mosquitoes to breed in standing water or the rain catchment tanks the school uses to supplement its water supply.

OASIS OF HOPE in TIME OF NEED (KENYA)

As a sign of hope there was rain more than half the days John and Fran Denham from Maysville, Kentucky USA came to Kenya. This was in preparation of the recipe that John and Fran were preparing not only for UMC in Kenya but the community that lives with us, “Clean and safe water for better health.” Every day from 24th February 2006, we visited churches and invited members of the community as John and Fran talked and demonstrated of the importance of clean and safe water.

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Computer Tech Needed - Liberia

Ganta Mission Station, Ganta, Liberia has 24 computers in various departments throughout the mission station. It would be good if a volunteer can come over on one of the workteams to train one or two of our people to do the servicing of the computers. We have a person on staff who learned about computers through trial and error. He could benefit through a couple weeks training from a computer technician. This way, we can keep our computers maintained and functional in our continuous pursuit towards accountability and information sharing.
For more information contact Joe Wagner, wagners@operationclassroom.org

Kissy Eye Hospital- Sierra Leone

Kissy UMC Eye Hospital
Freetown, Sierra Leone, Africa

November 3 – November 19, 2005



It was an eventful trip.

A large waiting room over flowing with patients greeted Dr. Tim Gess and me the Monday morning after our arrival. Word had spread that Tim was bringing a new phacoemulsification machine with which to deal with cataract extractions and the implantation of intraocular lenses. Surgery began that very day. Together with Dr. Ainor Fergusson, the resident eye surgeon, 52 surgeries were performed during the two week long stay.

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